The Mystic Seer of the Future
by FoxAK
Summary: Morty, Ecruteak's respectable young Gym Leader. Not much of him is known to the world with his past hidden deep inside his mind. Today, he will reveal everything that has happened to him, down to the curse he was inflicted with because of his ancestors.
1. Prologue

"What should we do with him, Elder?"

"Sigh… I don't know… I guess we can only do what we've done for the past decades. Let's take care of the child."

"But Elder!"

"Hush, young one. It was our fault that it happened in the first place."

"Elder, that happened many years ago. We've been acting like slaves all the time!"

"Shut your mouth and show more respect! This certain family of "slave masters" has been kind enough to let the ones responsible for their agony live under their roof! Without their kindness, we would've died a long time ago in the wilderness! The least we can do is to take care of their successors!"

"But why? The curse still remains in the child! Him growing up will only result to another cycle! And what's even more, the curse will never break! Our ancestor's spell was too strong!"

"You said it yourself. Our ancestor. That also means that we are to take that responsibility he has left us. We owe this family greatly."

_Faint rustling could be heard as dark shadows vanished into the air after coming to an agreement._


	2. Chapter 1

"Elder!" _I ran forwards when I saw a black figure perching on top of a tombstone._

"Hm? If it isn't Morty. What do you need, young one?" _Smiling brightly, I assisted the kindly, old Gengar from his resting spot, frightened that he would fall if unbalanced._

"Elder, today is my first day of school! Are you not excited for me?"

"Hm! That's right! I completely forgot! Is that young rascal with you, Morty?"

"Young rascal? I beg to differ, Elder!" _My best friend, a Gastly, emerged from my body._

_With an indignant face, Elder began to berate him. _"Young one! How many times have I told you not to possess Morty! Humans can get sick if they are possessed too often!"

"And how many times have I told you not to fret over small things, Elder? It's alright." _I patted the old Pokemon's back, trying to calm him down._

"Youngsters these days… They never listen to you… Now scram! Before you are late for school!"

_Shade, my Gastly friend, was having a dreadful time attempting to contain his laughter. I waved good-bye and exited the cemetery. It was my home._ "Keh, keh, keh~! Did you see Elder's face!"

"Now, now, Shade! It's not very nice to tease elders behind their backs!"

"Well~ he's not listening, right?"

"I can't argue with that! …Ah…"

"What's the matter, Morty? Sudden stomach cramps?"

"No, I just remembered something. The school doesn't allow Pokemon."

"What?! That's awful!"

"I know!" _I began to slow down, and then I stopped completely. _"Shade, you can wait for me at home! That way, when I come home, we can play together again!"

"Aw shucks… I want to play with you all the time, Morty!"

"I do too… but I have to get educated, right?"

"Yeah…" _Shade nodded in disappointment. I'm sorry, Shade, I thought to myself._

_After hugging Shade warmly and glancing backwards several times, I dashed away on the pavement, towards school._

_The city's gym has been out of business for a long time ever since my father disappeared. Elder wouldn't say why Father disappeared and will tell me everything when I get older. The committee didn't want to take down the gym, so they remodeled it into a schoolhouse. The outward appearance of the building emitted an antique feeling. While I was appreciating the beautiful work, I noticed another kid nearby. My jaw slightly dropped when I realized what he was wearing. A… cape? Really? So, there are weird people in this city. I shook my head violently and walked in._


	3. Chapter 2

"My name is Morty. I'm from the cemetery." _I bowed sincerely to the class. It was introduction time. Lifting my head up, I smiled kindly. _"I am pleased to meet everyone."

_The teacher smiled approvingly and asked, _"Morty, could you tell everyone what your favorite Pokemon type is? That will help me a lot in the future when we go out into the wild to catch your first Pokemon partner."

_First Pokemon partner? _"Miss Blanc, I like Ghost-types."

_Miss Blanc cocked an eyebrow at me. Was it unusual to like ghosts? _"Um, Morty, would you please elaborate why you like Ghost-types?"

"Oh, it's because Ghost-types are…" _I paused. For some reason, I don't think they like Ghost-types very much. Just from the looks on their faces told me that. If I said that ghosts are kind to me, I'll definitely be bullied or laughed at… _"…strategic. I think that being a Ghost-type user will have to understand their Pokemon really well, being the more defensive sort of type." _I wasn't lying. I really did believe that Ghost-type Pokemon trainers truly understood their Pokemon… such a bond… Shade and I have a chance at it!_

_Miss Blanc nodded._ "That's true. Ghost-type Pokemon have many status-affecting attacks, whether on itself or on the opponent. Morty, you seem to know a lot about Ghost-types. Would you like to say a few of those attacks?"

"Um… okay. There's Astonish, Confuse Ray, Curse, Destiny Bond, Grudge, Lick, Nightmare, Ominous Wind, Shadow Ball and Spite."

_The teacher looked at me wide-eyed, mouth open with awe. She clapped her hands together and inquired, _"Very impressive, Morty! Who taught you all this?"

_I paused again. I can't tell her that an elderly Gengar taught me all this when I was young! If I also say that I can understand Ghost-types' speech, they'll certainly lock me up in an asylum or something! Ah! Of course! Elder disguises as a senior monk and is also listed as my legal guardian. _"Ah, that's because Elder taught me when I was young."

"Oh, yes. I momentarily forgot that you lived with that monk. Thank you, Morty. You may return to your seat."

_Giving a sigh of relief, I made my way to my assigned seat and sat down. The young girl beside me commented that I was very cool and the boy behind me agreed. I laughed it all off, saying that it was because of the severe training Elder had put me through, which was also true. That was when a boy sitting in a seat two rows away from mine stood up. I gasped when I saw him. It was the cape-wearing kid! He was wearing such… fancy clothing… I looked down at my own clothes. I was wearing a simple blue shirt with streaks of yellow at the rim and two around the areas of my arms. As for the other kid… wow. His brown hair was gelled and a single lock of hair was left out to dangle in front of him. His cape was fastened on with a red bowtie, and he wore a purple shirt under. Adjusting his bowtie haughtily, he spoke for the first time. _"My name is Eusine. I am from Celadon City. My favorite Pokemon are the ones that are strong. My dream is to find the legendary Suicune. I moved here only to learn more about this place's history and legends. That is final." _Without waiting for the teacher to say anything, he returned to his seat. Swishing his cape, he sat down. What a weird guy, I thought to myself._

_After class, I decided to confront that Eusine kid. Walking quietly, I managed to surprise him in front of the school. _"Wha-What?! Oh! You're that Morty kid!" _Huh? He's a lot friendlier than I thought. He patted my back lightly and continued. _"So, what do you want from me? You want to help me chase Suicune?"

"Sorry, but I do recall you saying that you came here to understand Johto's myths, right? You being from Kanto and all…"

_A sparkle of interest shone in Eusine's eyes as he nodded enthusiastically._ "Yeah, yeah! You know any myths?"

_Beaming, I replied to my eager companion. _"Of course! Elder used to tell me a bunch of them for my bedtime story time. I know every myth there is to this town of Ecruteak."

"Wow! You've got to tell me! My grandfather only told me stories about Suicune and his purification skills! I want to know more, Morty!"

"Okay… you want to drop by at my house? Uh… cemetery?"

"You live in a cemetery? That's more intense! Sure!"


	4. Chapter 3

Zorua15: Glad you pointed it out. That awesome move was really classified as "?-type". Notice the "was". It got changed to "Ghost-type" in the 5th Generation (shocking discovery!). Curse has got to be the second sweetest Ghost-type move ever. Only second to Shadow Force.

* * *

_I began to regret when I made to the doorstep because that was when Shade floated in front of me to welcome me home. Shade made a shocked expression when he saw Eusine. _"Shade, I made a new friend. Shade? Shade!" _I called after him as the little ball of gas disappeared back inside._

"Uh oh, did I step on something delicate?"

"No, no. Shade's just a little shy. You know Ghost-types. They don't like appearing to people other than their trainers or individuals they can trust. Shade was my only friend. I guess he's a little startled at the fact that you're here. Wait for a while, Eusine. I'll go find Shade."

"Okay~! I'll be waiting… here?" _Glancing around, we only saw gravestones. Stupid, I called myself. I led him inside to a bright living room._

"Shade? Shade~? Where are you?" _A familiar cold sensation played upon my hand. _"Shade!"

"Morty… who's that guy?" _A timid voice reached my ears._

"His name is Eusine. He's a fanatic over Ecruteak's history and Suicune. I only brought him here to tell him those tales. Don't worry, Shade. You're still my best friend. Nobody could ever replace you."

"Really?" _He sniffed a couple of times as he questioned again. _"You really won't abandon me?"

_I hugged him fondly. How could I ever think of leaving my most precious friend? _"Of course not, Shade. You're my best friend. And now, we've got another friend. That's Eusine. Now, be nice to him. He's a bit weird, but very nice. You'll get used to him."

"…No…"

"Shade?"

_Grinning widely and showing his fangs, he giggled, _"It's not "a bit weird"~ It's very! A cape!"

* * *

"Eusine?"

"Ah, Morty! Welcome back! And I see that you've brought your buddy!"

_Shade peeped over my shoulder at the "stranger". I prodded him lightly on the cheek. _"Eusine, Shade says that your cape is really cool."

"Really? Thanks, Shade!" _The Gastly flashed a smile and drifted towards Eusine. I smiled as well, seeing that Shade has already gotten accustomed with his presence. That was faster than I thought. _"Huh? Wait a second… Morty, do you understand what Shade is saying?"

_What?! Ah, it slipped out! This is bad… what if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore? What if he thinks I'm a freak? _"Ah… I… uh…"_ Oh whatever… _"Yeah… I could understand their speech ever since I was a kid… but… don't tell anyone else, okay, Eusine?"

_Eusine's mouth was open wide and was letting flies enter it freely. Then suddenly, he sprang up. _"That's awesome, Morty! You're so awesome! Sensing a Pokemon's emotions is already considered to be a Pokemon Master, but you can understand them?! That's godly! But, of course, it's not as good as Suicune!" _Smirking, he continued. _"This'll be our little secret! Yours, mine and Shade's! I won't tell anyone of this gift if yours! I swear this on my honor as a Suicune worshipper!" _Laughing wildly, he dashed out of the house, leaving Shade and I completely bewildered._

"Shade?"

"Yes, Morty?"

"I agree. He's very strange."


	5. Chapter 4

_A month has passed since I entered the Pokemon Academy. That was also the time when the final classmate of mine reached the age of 10. Miss Blanc assigned us the homework to capture a single Pokemon over the weekend. She then distributed 6 Pokeballs to each kid. After school, Eusine kept on chatting energetically about he was going to catch Suicune as his first Pokemon while I remained with my usual monotonous tone. _"Well, see you on Monday, Eusine. I wish the best for you."

"Yeah! Thanks, Morty! I'm coming, Suicune! Hahaha~!"

_Sighing, I looked at my bulging pocket where I stuffed the Pokeballs in. Well, I could only try. Opening the door, like always, Shade was there waiting for my return._ "Morty~! You're back! Huh? Eusine's not here to play with us today?"

_Ruffling Shade's gas-like body, I shook my head. _"No, but I have something interesting to show you, Shade."

"Really?! Oh boy, I can't wait to see what it is!"

_We entered the living room and I sat down on the ground. Shade settled down beside me. _"Are you ready, Shade?" _My companion nodded eagerly. Taking a deep breath, I produced the 6 Pokeballs onto the table in front of us._

"Morty! This is… is this the beginning of our partnership? This is great! You're finally going to be an official Pokemon trainer!"

"Yeah…"

"What's wrong, Morty?"

"Shade, it's like this… I don't know if it feels well inside a Pokeball. I mean… what if it's crammed inside? I know you're gas, but… So much gas in a tiny ball? It might feel uncomfortable… I really want to be a trainer with you as my first partner, but I don't want to force you to go into a space where you don't feel good in…"

"Oh… well, we could try. I really want to be able to fight battles with you, Morty!"

"Is that true, Shade? Okay then. Let's try. If the insides of the Pokeball does not suit you, I could always let you out, right?"

"Right! Let's do it, Morty!"

_I stood up, grabbed a Pokeball and dashed into the graveyard, Shade following me closely behind. Taking a single glance at both the orb in my hand and at the Gastly floating several centimeters away from me, I bopped Shade softly on his forehead. Shade was immediately enveloped in a glowing red light and was sucked into the ball. I stood by watching in horrid fascination as my friend disappeared into the mechanism. The red-and-white sphere quivered slightly, and stopped. The capture was successful. I quickly pressed the button on the Pokeball and it opened up, revealing a healthy, yet dazed, Shade. _"Shade! Are you fine?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"On a scale of strangeness, how many Eusines will you give it?"

"Oh, I'd say 8 Eusines. It felt really creepy."

"Wow. 8 Eusines? You are exaggerating, aren't you?"

"Nope! 8."_ Imagine 8 Eusines surrounding you wearing different costumes, talking at the same time about Suicune. The levels of strangeness and creepiness are overwhelming._

_I clasped the metal ball in my hands. This… was wrong. Befriending Pokemon is a good thing, but forcing them to enter such tiny capsules without considering their feelings? Only I could talk with Pokemon, and only Ghost-types… Only I could understand their anguish and discomfort. _"Shade, if you don't want to go into the Pokeball, then it's okay. I said so in the beginning right? I'm not going to force you to do something that makes you think of so many Eusines. Even I'm scared by that thought. Besides," _I smiled at my best friend. _"Aren't there trainers who keep their Pokemon outside of their Pokeballs? We can do that too." _Shade smiled as well. This is going to be an interesting life. I wonder if Eusine has caught Suicune yet, I wondered to myself. Ah, I forgot to tell him the stories I promised him on the first day of school…_


	6. Chapter 5

"Hey, Morty!"

"Oh, hi, Sam. Is that the Pokemon you caught? A Ledyba?"

"Yup! And you got yourself a Ghost-type Pokemon! Just as expected!"

"Yeah… see you at class, Sam." _I ran ahead. I couldn't wait to meet up with Eusine. What if he did catch Suicune? That'll be great! But… if not, I wish to be the first person to comfort him. When I entered the classroom with Shade floating close by, I saw Eusine with his face on the table. I've seen such a scene before. He was depressed. _"Eu… Eusine?"

_I sort of squeaked when he raised his head a little bit just to face me. His eyes were half-closed and he looked as if he hadn't slept for ages. _"Morty…? Hi…" _Then he collapsed again. Before I could shake him, he began to murmur out loud. _"Morty… I'm a failure… I failed to even see Suicune…"

_Shade nudged me lightly, whispering,_ "Morty, Eusine has a Pokeball with a Pokemon in it. He's covering it with his body. I guess he caught something else."

_I blinked twice, letting Shade know that I heard him. I shook Eusine gently. _"Eusine, if you're feeling better, I can tell you the legends I promised you before. I'll be at my seat." _My depressed friend muttered something unintelligible, and became quiet. Will he really be alright?_

* * *

"Okay, class. I know all of you have been waiting for this day for quite a long time already, and it seems like all of you have managed to catch at least one Pokemon! Then everything will go according to schedule! It's time for Pokemon battles!" _When the loud cheering subsided, Miss Blanc continued. Eusine's head was still down. _"Everyone, I've split you all into groups of 4. There are in all 16 students, so there will be 4 groups. The goal of today is to fight every other member in your group. Okay, then. I will begin announcing the groups. First group, Ty, Holly, Connie and Samuel. Second, Sam, Morty, Jeffery and Andrea. Third, Kirk, Shawn, Vivian and Eusine. Fourth, Angelo, Kylee, Jared and Darius. Now, let's not waste time! Begin!"

_Sigh… I wasn't with Eusine? How can I cheer him up if we aren't in the same team? _"Morty~ you're not paying attention~!"

_Spinning around, I came face to face with Shade, who was making a funny face at me. _"Gah! Oh, you scared me… Yeah… let's go meet up with our group." _Sam was chatting with Jeffery and Andrea was straying behind them when we caught up._

"Morty!" _Sam suddenly called me from the front. _"You wouldn't mind if I fought with Jeffery first, would you?"

"Of course I wouldn't, Sam. Be my guest." _Andrea, who was walking ahead, turned around. _"So… we'll be fighting together first, Andrea."

"Yup. Don't go easy on me just because I'm a girl, okay?"

"Okay. Let's go, Gastly!"

"It's your time to shine, Spinarak!"

* * *

"What… impossible… how could this be?" _Andrea fell to the ground, shocked. The match was over way too fast. Shade flew around me, happy to be victorious, especially since he didn't take a single hit._

_We started off with Hypnosis. I felt lucky, and it paid off. Andrea's Spinarak fell asleep. Knowing my best friend like the back of my hand, I knew what attacks he had. Lick, Curse, Hypnosis… and Night Shade. I somehow knew that her Spinarak was a weak one. I just knew that Shade's level was quite high and that the Spinarak could only take two hits. Shade, being born with the ability to make others fall asleep and after training, could make a Pokemon remain slumbering for an hour. The battle, ended before Andrea could even tell what was going on. Why… did I know so many things? This is the first time I've experienced such a thing. Shade was bubbling with excitement, and licked me. Strange, Lick paralyzes any living thing, yet why doesn't it affect me? My hand moved automatically to pat Shade and to pull him closer to myself. This is the first time I've felt so confused. By myself. The next match would be held tomorrow, so I decided to go home._


	7. Chapter 6

Zorua15: Greatest apologies, my friend. I messed up completely. The original Chapter 4 can be completely ignored. (It was supposed to be Chapter 5) Gah... Here's the next chapter to make up for my mistake.

Chimpchar: It's true that Spinarak has Insomnia, but it can also have Swarm. In this case, it seems like the poor girl was very unlucky. Very.

* * *

_I opened the door to my room silently. Shade had a worried expression on his face, for I haven't spoken to him ever since the match. I fell onto my bed and looked at the ceiling. It was white. A sudden chill burst into the room as I watched a shadow extend from the gap underneath my door. The shadow began to enlarge itself, until it became a solid form which I knew to be Elder._

"Morty, my boy, you look depressed. What ails you?"

"Elder… it's nothing… It's just that when Shade and I fought, I could see… everything. Their strength… it's as if I could sense them all… what's happening to me, Elder, Shade?"

_The Gengar shook his head and sat next to me. Shade rested onto my shoulder, listening carefully. _"Young one, nothing is happening to you. It's just that your powers have awakened."

"Powers?"

"Yes, that is correct. Hmm… I guess you are old enough… Boy, how about I tell you an event that happened around 150 years ago?" _Not waiting for my reply, he continued. _"The Brass Tower, also known as the Burned Tower nowadays… along with its counterpart, the Tin Tower, were built around 700 years ago… Brass worshipped the god of the sea, Lugia, while Tin worshipped the god of the rainbows, Ho-Oh. Your ancestors, Morty, have always been the most sincere of believers. They prayed to both of the towers daily and never stopped until the day they stop breathing. Us Ghost-type Pokemon have always followed your bloodline out of respect. They never thought of themselves as the "better race". They always believed that humans and Pokemon are equal, friends, companions… partners." _Elder almost choked out the last word… "partners"… _"It happened at an estimated 600 years ago, Morty. This story was passed down to me as well, so whether it's believable or not, you have to decide on your own. As you know, Ecruteak is the only place where humans actually got in contact with the legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh, for this place is known to be a place where the two races can live in harmony. Evil-hearted men having heard of such a story, wanted to capture the god. A man, accompanied with his partner, a Gengar like myself, decided to stop such an atrocity from happening. Before the bandits could arrive and attack, the man confronted them. Soon, there were only 2 trainers left standing. The man, who was your ancestor, and the leader of the bandits. It was a showdown between the Gengar, and the scoundrel's Wobbuffet. The Gengar didn't even break a sweat, and your forefather wished to make his opponent suffer. Alas, everything went wrong. Shadow Ball. The second the attack was executed, the Wobbuffet used Mirror Coat. The attack backfired and hit your ancestor, inflicting him with a curse. It was never intentional. Enduring the pain, the trainer ordered his Gengar to use Sucker Punch. Defeating the enemy and was relieved, the trainer then realized that he could understand what his Gengar was telling him. It was shocking at first, but he slowly got used to his special abilities. Morty, have you ever had visions of the future?" _Seeing me nod, he resumed. _"That is also one of the abilities. He also learned that he could house many Ghost-type Pokemon in his body while staying sane. Everything sounds so… amazing, right? It's as if you have become the top of the food chain." _A single tear rolled down his dark cheek. _"How wonderful if it was only like that… If everything really was so wonderful, then it wouldn't be called a "curse", would it? The price for these gifts was "life". After giving birth to the next generation, the parents would disappear, sucked into a dark void, never to be seen again. It became an unspoken law that the loyal partners of this family would take care of the orphaned child, for they felt responsible. Morty, do you understand? We Ghost-type Pokemon of this region have watched your family for centuries, only to see this cycle repeat itself over and over and over… Seeing our best friends die… for so many times already… Your grandfather… was like a brother to me. We had begged them to stop, to end their suffering, but ever since the great fire of the Brass Tower, they remained firm on their decision. They wish to protect Ecruteak with every last bit of their lives, using these unique abilities. Morty, do you understand this burden you were given? Everyone, including the other human families, deep down inside, have expectations for you to become the guardian of this town, until Ho-Oh returns. It is said that once Ho-Oh returns and decides to remain here, the curse would be broken. Don't you see, Morty? Your ancestors, knowing certain death waits if they bear a child, are still willing to sacrifice themselves to protect this city despite what others think. They don't care about the curse. They never did. All they want is to protect this city of ours until the real guardian returns. For centuries, your family has been thought to be the ones bringing bad luck to the city, but afterwards, everything had faded into nothing but a legend, a myth, a story."

_Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Everyone, including my predecessors, is unbelievable. Why would someone sacrifice their own life just to wait for a legend to reappear? And suddenly, I'm given such a task? Nonsense. It's true that I loved this town, and I want to protect it, but the second I have children, I will die? The only thing that can let me live longer is a god-like Pokemon whose chance of returning to this place is almost zero? Why? Why did it have to be me? I don't want to let the one who have taken care of me down, but I don't want to die… I wanted to have a family… and now even this can't be fulfilled? I'm sure my ancestors have faced this problem as well, but why did they choose death? I don't understand…_

_Elder, as if he could read my mind got up a made it to the door. _"Young one, you will understand it one day. When that day comes, no longer would you be confused. Just like your father."


	8. Chapter 7

_**Just to let you know, Chapter 6 is now a tad bit different. So, if you haven't read Chapter 6, read it. Otherwise, this chapter won't make sense.**_

_**This is all thanks to my mess-up.**_

_**I'm a failure. I know.**_

* * *

_Night fell upon Ecruteak city as silent as a shadow. The lights in my room were off. Without the lights distraction, I could think properly. _"Are you still upset over what that old geezer said, Morty?"

"Not really…"

"Then what's bothering you, Morty?"

_Out of reflex and anger, I yelled at Shade. _"Nothing! Just… leave me alone…"

"Morty…"

"…I'm sorry, Shade… I just… really wanted a family… complete with me being a father and having a wife and kids… but… but…" _I raised my tear-stained face and said to the darkness placed in front of myself, _"…it's not possible anymore…"

"Morty! What are you talking about?!"

"Shade?"

"Family? You've got me! You've also got the Haunters and Gastlies in the cemetery who are your siblings as well! We're one big family! And if its kids you want, there will be many kids soon for you to care for when the eggs hatch! See, there's no need to be upset, Morty! So… please… cheer up…"

_…That's right… Shade's right… How could I be so foolish? I've always had a brother beside me. It hit me. Could it be that my father and the others believed it to be like this too? That they already had a family? Of course! It didn't matter whether it's human or Pokemon, as long as they loved you and cherished you, it's good enough. Isn't the definition of "family"? No matter, I swear that I'll be the one to break the curse. I'll make Ecruteak City the most peaceful of all cities in Johto, that way… that way Ho-Oh will return and nobody else would have to suffer. I bet my father reached the same conclusion…_

"Shade?"

"What now? If you're going to rant about life being unfair again, I'm going to get angry!"

"No… thank you, Shade."

"Huh?"

"I understand now. Thank you for being my brother."

"Um… okay? I don't quite understand, but you're happy again?"

"Yeah. Definitely this time. Elder is right. It feels like a great stone has just been lifted off of my heart, Shade. I feel terrific." _Ducking into my covers, I called out playfully, _"Last one asleep is a rotten Pokemon Egg!"

"You're cheating, Morty!"

_It's so good to be alive._

* * *

"Morty~! Where are you?"

"In the bathroom, Shade. I know you're anxious, but you've got to be patient." _I was in a cheerful mood after thinking everything through yesterday. For some certain reason, I felt like changing my appearance a bit, to show that I've "matured" perhaps. Adjusting the light blue headband that matched my favorite clothes, I peered at myself in the mirror once more. Hey, to be honest, I think I looked pretty good. Walking out the bathroom door with an easygoing attitude, I stepped in front of Shade. _"So, how do I look, Shade?"

"Who are you?! The Morty I know doesn't look this awesome!"

"Shade!"

"Uwah~ There's a stranger after me~!"


	9. Chapter 8

"Morty!"

"Jeffery?"

"I heard that you defeated Andrea easily yesterday. Whoa, that's a new look. What's with the headband, Morty?"

"Nothing much. You up for a battle, Jeffery?"

"Yeah! Be prepared to lose like Sam did! Go, Pineco!"

"Let's go, Gastly!"

_It ended even faster than Andrea's match. This time, I changed the sequence a bit. Lick. Pineco became paralyzed. Then Night Shade. Pineco tried to use Bug Bite, but was unable to move. Night Shade once more and it became unable to battle._

"What… what happened…?"

"You lost, Jeffery. It's just that simple."

"But I didn't even get to attack you… you monster!" _After stating such a rude comment, he dashed away, leaving his Pineco behind._

"Morty, are you okay?"

"…Yeah… I guess I'll just have to get used to such language, huh? …This Pineco…"

"He says that Jeffery will definitely come back for him. Definitely, Morty."

"Then, let's go meet up with Eusine. We have a lot of spare time."

"Wait!"

"Sam?"

"I… I challenge you, Morty! Let's be over with this today!"

"Okay, then."

_Shade, once again, defeated the enemy without breaking a sweat. Ledyba's Supersonic, miss. Hypnosis. Night Shade twice. The end. Patting Shade blithely, I said, _"Let's go see Eusine. I hope he got better." _Leaving a shocked Sam behind, I walked towards the school, remembering Eusine's group was positioned very close to it. _

* * *

_When we arrived at the scene, we were astonished. The three other trainers had their Pokemon defeated and Eusine was standing in front of them, using a condescending look on them. Next to him, was his Pokemon partner, a Kadabra. The small sound of a leaf snapping in two when I stepped on it reached Eusine's sharp ears. Spinning around, he smirked like usual. _"Morty! What took you so long?! I was waiting, like, forever already!"

"Eusine?"

"What's the matter, buddy? Shade! You're looking nice and spiffy today!"

"You're not… depressed, Eusine?"

"What? Oh, I got over that already. I decided yesterday morning that though I was unable to see Suicune those two days, I can still train the Pokemon I caught. That way in the future, if I get the chance to meet Suicune, I would have a strong companion to fight with the holy one! What do you think about my plan, Morty? That's also why I spent the rest of yesterday training my partner here, Memorent. We're getting along quite well too, after he evolved, isn't that right, Memorent?" _The Kadabra twirled his spoon in his hand happily and nodded with delight. _"Have you heard, Morty? The news that if a person defeats the others without losing once gets to stop going to school?"

"Really? Why haven't I heard of such a thing?"

"Basically, it's because Miss Blanc just came here and told me. I think she was going towards your group. But, who knows? The point is, I don't need to go to school anymore! No school! Isn't that great, Memorent?!" _His Pokemon nodded once more, making a joyful expression along with his trainer. _"How about you, Morty? How did your matches go?"

"Shade and I defeated them easily."

"So… does that mean…"

"…? Eusine?"

"Heh, heh~! Eusine Attack!" _He suddenly lunged at me and hugged me tightly._

"Eu… Eusine?!"

"This means that I can go to your house and we can play together! And now, we even got a new friend too, Memorent! It's going to be so~ fun! I can't wait! I can't wait! I want to go to your house now, Morty!"

_Shade rammed himself into Eusine, knocking him away from me. When Eusine landed onto the ground with a thud, Shade practically scolded him for getting near me and hugging me unexpectedly, and saying stuff like, "Morty is mine!" …Well, it was kind of awkward, but I didn't care much about it. _"Now, now, you two. Let's go. We continue arguing when we're at home."


	10. Chapter 9

"Ka… Kadabra?"

"Keh, keh, keh~! This is Morty's home! Make yourself comfortable, Memorent!"

"Kadabra?"

"Yup! Eusine's friends are our friends!"

_I peeked at the two Pokemon behind Eusine and myself. Hmm… they're getting along quite well… And they said that Psychic-types and Ghost-types don't mix well. Eusine on the other hand, was barely talking to me. He was getting himself pumped up by all the storybooks on Ecruteak's myths, breathing hard every time he gets to a page with Suicune on. I forgot to mention blushing. His cheeks become extremely red whenever he reaches a picture of Suicune, and sometimes I even had to hit him on the head to prevent him from rubbing his face all over the picture. To be frank about it, he was acting like a pervert. _"Oh, Suicune… your glorious mane… your aqua-blue body… your beautiful physique… you were made just for me… Wait for me… wait for me, Suicune! Eusine is coming for you… Ahaha… Ahahaha…" _Is he chanting a spell?! I looked at him an expression filled with horror and disgust. He appeared as if he just reached heaven. His eyes were filled with content. It seemed like all his worldly needs have been fulfilled. I bet in his mind he was prancing along with Suicune in the flower fields._

_Everyone's enjoying themselves… why don't I relax as well? Let's see now… what do I want? Hmm… Ho-oh… if I manage to make Ecruteak a better place… maybe the Holy One will return… and once Ho-Oh returns, I will no longer have this burden… nor will I have a need to pass it to my descendants… the Rainbow Pokemon. I'll just have to keep on praying… I'll pray to you, Ho-Oh, until you return here… If you never return, I guess my bloodline will just have to keep this up, huh…? No matter… I've accepted fate… Let's see if you can return before I meet someone I like, Ho-Oh. _"Oh Ho-Oh…"

"Morty? Morty, are you still sane?"

"What? Huh? What happened?"

_Eusine, Shade and Memorent were looking at me strangely. One of Eusine's eyebrows twitched slightly as he explained to me. _"Morty, you were zoning out. And your face was quite red, too. Having crazy fantasies about a girl, I presume?"

"What?! Nonsense!"

"Gotcha~! I'm just kidding. Hey, chin up. How about a match? In the graveyard?"

"…Sure."

"What's that? I can't hear you, Morty!"

"Sure, Eusine."


	11. Chapter 10

_Those were the fond memories of my childhood. Days flew past us unexpectedly, like a flock of Pidgeys. Ten years have passed. Before I could say anything, I was made into the Gym Leader of Ecruteak. As for Eusine, he dashed off, chasing after any news about Suicune, leaving Shade and I alone in the city many years ago. Well, not really "alone" though. I got used to it. Besides, the Ghost-type Pokemon are good companions. My daily schedule was quite simple. Wake up in the morning, eat breakfast… oh, the Pokemon Academy? Miss Blanc's mother passed away so she went back to Goldenrod City. The academy was then remodeled back into its former form, a Gym. Inside, the children take lessons from me about Ghost-types, since I'm the gym leader now. Being a gym leader is quite nice. Oh dear, I must apologize. I forgot to mention the fact that Shade evolved into a Haunter a couple of days before Eusine left 9 years ago. He became so excited that he hugged me, causing our Pokeballs to drop onto the ground. It seemed like our Pokeballs were mixed up, so when I opened one up in my bedroom after going home, Memorent showed up. Shade appeared in Eusine's room. I heard that he screamed. Returning each Pokemon back to its own trainer, they evolved again. Shade became exceedingly heavy, yet on contrary, Memorent became lighter. Allow me to go back to my schedule. After eating breakfast with Shade, who now is a hearty eater, I would walk to the Tin Tower to pray. It takes in all 25 minutes to finish praying, and it's also the only time when Shade is actually able to sit still, much to my surprise. Sadly, Elder come to his life's end last year. His final words asked Shade to protect me from all harm until the Holy One returns. The curse still lingers, and I don't know when I'll meet the girl of my heart's desire. Well, enough of that. Let me recount the tales of when I added the members of my current team. Here's the first one._

_Shade and I were patrolling around the vicinity. The woods beyond the city housed many wild Pokemon and could be used as a hiding spot for men bearing sinister objectives. It was also part of my daily routine to patrol this area. Shade sneezed, for it was a chilly night. _"Morty…" _he whined. _"How long do we have to be out here? It's cold…"

"Just a little longer, Shade. We only need to check this one patch of grass and we'll be off, okay?"

"…Fine! There's only one way left for me to persuade you, Morty! I'll sneeze all over you!"

"Ugh… That's a disgusting thought. Hmm? Swoosh?"

"Have you gone crazy, Morty?"

"How rude of you, Shade. I thought I heard a sound. …! Over there, Shade!"

"Right!" _My friend's Night Shade struck perfectly. The grass around the mysterious being was demolished, leaving the culprit in view._

"Grr… stay away from me!" _A… Misdreavus?_

"Hold it right there! We're not here to hurt you!" _I tried to reason with the wild Pokemon, but she stayed in "offense mode". _"Shade, can you calm her down?!"

"Uh… I'll try. Hey, there."

"Don't "hey, there" me, chubby. Are you that human's slave? Is he ordering you around like some mutt?! Do you want me to kill him?! I can if you want!"

"…Chubby? Look here, you. Morty's my best friend. We've been together ever since we were both kids! If you try to kill him, I will never forgive you! Even if you are a girl!"

"A human friend? Stop joking around! Humans only manipulate us Pokemon! They use us only for battling and grooming, as if we were some kind of pets! Are you not humiliated yet?!"

"Morty treats me like his own brother! You better clean your mouth!"

"Now, now, you two. Any more of this and it'll become uglier. Shade, chill it. You as well. But first, you must apologize to Shade for calling him "chubby". He was restraining himself, you know?"

"I refuse! Wait… huh? How did you know I called that fat piece of nothing "chubby"?"

"I can understand Ghost-types. You're hurt, aren't you?"

"Ugh… how did you…"

"Feh, don't underestimate Morty, you hag. Who're you calling "fat piece of nothing", you overgrown dishrag?!"

"Dishrag?! Why you… let me at him, human!" _My grip on one of the Pokemon's locks tightened._

"For you information, my name is not "Human". It's "Morty". And you're coming with me before you get wounded even further."


	12. Chapter 11

Zorua15: Definitely not on Shade's. Definitely.

* * *

_It was very fortunate that the Pokemon's wounds were not deep, so a Super Potion did the trick. When I was spraying the bottle's contents on her wounds, she was glaring at me. _"Why are you helping me? I threatened you."

"Let's just say that I'm immune to death threats. You should be fine after a good night's rest. You can stay here. There are many spare tombs in the cemetery." _I pointed to the door behind me._

"I might kill you at night. While you are sleeping, I might make sure that you'll never wake."

"Save your curses, young lady. My decision will not falter. What makes you so hostile towards humans? Have our kind done anything to you?"

"…These wounds… were inflicted by my original trainer."

"I see… so you've lost your trust towards humans? Just because of a single person?"

"My trainer… she…" _Her voice became tiny and afraid, with a touch of loneliness. _"We used to be best friends… but we were weak. We lost a Pokemon battle, and she blamed it all on me. She then threw rocks at me, saying that she loathed me, wanted me to leave her life forever." _The once pompous and arrogant Misdreavus was then reduced to nothing but a crying heap. _"She hated me! The trainer that I was with for more than 4 years… just threw me away like that! She even threw my Pokeball away! I… I can't ever forgive her!"

_Shade cast a sideways glance at me. Nodding, I approached the bawling figure and began to comfort her. _"There, there. There's no longer any need to be afraid. Your trainer didn't understand you, resulting in where you are today. Now, you are amongst friends. I am an expert on Ghost-type Pokemon, and everyone under this roof is like family to me. That includes you, Misdreavus. From now on, you are our new family member, if that is okay with you. I'll wait for your answer tomorrow, when you're thinking straight again. Let's all go to sleep. We've got another day ahead of us. Shade?" _My close friend drew himself closer. His red eyes were dulled because of fatigue. _"Shade, will you please show her to the graveyard? Do this as a favor for me, my friend." _The drowsy Gengar nodded and waddled away, Misdreavus tagging along behind. Sighing, I made it to my room and into my covers. Soon afterwards, Shade emerged from the wall and snuggled beside me, asleep in a matter of seconds. Hmm… I wonder how this will turn out…_

"Ugh…" _Heavy… there's something on top of me, and it's quite heavy… Opening my eyes, I saw a black lump on my covers. _"Shade, do you mind? Can you get off me? …" _No response. _"Um, Shade? Hate to wake you up, but it's kind of getting painful down here. Shade?"

"Get off of Morty, Chubby!" _A shape hurtled in my room and rammed itself into the unmoving Shade, sending him flying into the wall._

"Misdreavus?"

_The female Pokemon landed softly on top of me and smiled kindly. _"Good morning, Morty. How was your night? Did you sleep well?"

"It's more like "what are you plotting", you dishrag. What was that for?! It hurts!" _Shade charged and missed completely when the Misdreavus just floated out of reach._

"Nothing, Chubby. I just decided that Morty will be my new trainer from today onwards. I like him a lot. And I think I'm the perfect Pokemon for him, unlike a fat Pokemon like you." _Finishing her announcement, she leaned forward, almost pressing onto my face. _"Morty, capture me… and name me… I don't want to be an unfortunate Pokemon anymore…"

_This was a little sudden, but I complied. This Misdreavus was willing to become a member of this family that I casually mentioned yesterday. Forcing out a smile, I replied. _"Don't you worry. Everything will be fine, now that you've decided to join this household once and for all. But promise me to get along with Shade? I dislike hearing siblings argue with each other."

"Okay!" _She agreed a little too fast… Uncertainty crawled into my mind. Will it really be "okay"? Shade mumbled something and shot a glare at his opponent._

_Now, this Pokemon believes that she is enveloped by misfortune. Such a pessimistic thought… What she needs is fortune. Fortune… Fortuna… _"Misdreavus, would you settle for the nickname of "Fortunata"? It's the only name I can come up for you right now."

"I'm satisfied! It's a good name! I'll take it!" _Is she really considering, or is she just blindly agreeing with me? The speed of her approvals is a little frightening._

_Reaching outwards, I felt a round object on the shelf next to my bed. A Pokeball. The familiar red light surrounded the wild Pokemon and sucked her in right after I bopped her lightly. Trembling subsided, and I pressed the button, allowing her freedom. _"Welcome to my team, Fortunata. May we have a pleasant time together."

"Thanks, Morty!"


	13. Chapter 12

_That story went well. Are you ready for another one? The third member of my team… I met him in another region…_

_"Morty?"_

_Huh?_

* * *

"Morty?"

"Shade? What is it?"

"The Gastlies have fallen asleep. And so have the others. Did you use Hypnosis? Or is it because your story was very interesting?"

"If it was interesting, then everybody wouldn't fall asleep. I was going to say the Duskull's story next."

"Eh~? It's not mine~?"

"…I said your story already. As expected, you weren't listening at all."

"Keh, keh, keh. I didn't want to fall asleep yet, Morty! But your bedtime stories are really intense! It's so interesting that everyone falls asleep! Even Eusine!"

"Eusine? …Whoa! When did he get here?"

"Ah, he came in a bit after he entered in your story. Then he began slumbering."

"…I see. Maybe I was a little too indulged in the story. Shade?"

"What is it, Morty?"

"Do you want to go out for a midnight walk?"

"…Anytime, Morty!"


End file.
